Outburst Berry Tart IPA
Pyramid Breweries, Inc.

Reddish orange in color with a resilient, rocky head of beige foam that seems to have a smidge of pink in it as well. From a distance, or in low light, you might even confuse Outburst Tart IPA for an Amber Ale. The aroma on the other hand, telegraphs fruit punch more than beer—to a surprising degree. In fact, it's quite reminiscent of Hawaiian Punch: sweet and fruity with red berries, freshly cut apples, and black cherries (maybe due to Calypso) coming to mind. In terms of smell, the hops clearly contributed tropical character more than anything else. Nevertheless, the taste delivers a hit of moderate, earthy bitterness as well as a degree of tartness, steering things away from the juvenile end of the flavor spectrum. Unusual, but not altogether unlikable, the IPA is hidden here but not imperceptible. Medium-bodied with a tangy, malty, and slightly messy finish, this is an intriguing beer from Pyramid.

 

The beer pours out a medium hazy dark golden/light amber color with a tinge of red, with 1 finger of off white head------------- the aromas are of sweet malt, tartness and artificial berries---------------- the flavors are of tart berries, breadiness, hibiscus and grapefruit, the beer has a thin mouthfeel, with a lightly bitter tart dry finish------------ overall this beer was good - for me this was a good spin on there original outburst I prefer this one, they definitely nailed the tart part down it was tart from start to finish

New addition to the Outburst series (joining the Imperial IPA and the Citrus IPA) from Pyramid that arrived in April 2018. The commonalities shared by the Outburst beers to me seems to be a fairly sweet, caramel-y malt base with a moderate hop presence and some form of fruitiness; in this case, the brewery's website indicates that the Berry Tart was brewed with Hibiscus, Cranberries, and Black Currants.

Calling this a "tart IPA," you may be inclined to think this could be similar to a sour ale, but I think this one leans too sweet to be thought of as tart or sour. All the same, there is a definite presence of cranberry and current which add a hint of tartness in the finish. While this is a touch too sweet for me most of the time, I think Pyramid has actually done a smashing job here. The balance offered by this beer is incredible. It's refreshing, good for a hot summer day, but just heavy enough to be enjoyed during colder seasons. There's fruitiness, sweetness, slight bitterness and moderate carbonation. There's even a bit of homage to good old wheat in here. Drink it very cold to bring out the tart aspect, drink it slightly cool to bring out the sweet.

What I'm loving about this is that it doesn't taste like anything else I've had recently. It doesn't have much tropical fruit flavors as offered by both West and East Coast IPAs of late. It's not hazy or totally clean either. It's got a bit of everything. Give this one a try if you're someone who's not afraid of a bit of sweet with your sour, or you're just looking to shake things up with your regular routine.